Jerusalem (special) -- Those imaginative Niki de Saint Phalle playground animal sculptures which were on temporary loan last year in San Diego's Balboa Park are under wraps at the Biblical Zoo waiting to be unveiled as part of the children's zoo which San Diegans have helped to build.

The sculptures are expected to be installed during 2001 in an area now being prepared for them adjacent to the existing children's zoo. Like the real animals of the zoo, the imaginary Saint Phalle creations are expected to delight children of all religious and social backgrounds -- helping the zoo to maintain its preeminence in Israel as the place where its great diversity of citizens mingle and share common interests.

Many of the sculptures were purchased for the Jerusalem Zoo by San Diegans, according to Helena Galper, the San Diego representative of the Biblical Zoo. 

The sculptures are the latest of three major undertakings by San Diegans to help the zoo, which is known formally as the Tisch Family Zoological Gardens and informally as the Biblical Zoo. A San Diego contingent of the Jerusalem Foundation financed two houses in which children learn about and fondle small animals. The same group also is financing construction of the Biblelands Preserve--a miniaturized version of San Diego's Wild Animal Park in which animals mentioned in the Bible are kept together in a large enclosure.

One can view the animals of the Bibleland Preserve either from a small wheeled train or by traversing a long elevated walkway. Whether one goes by foot or by train, one ends up at a large and imaginative re-creation of Noah's Ark, a learning center where students can access information by computer about specific animals or learn about programs to protect endangered species. 

The ark also has rotating art displays about animals. One recent exhibition showed how various artists have pictured Noah's Ark and the biblical flood.

An animated film for childen -- as imaginative as the Saint Phalle sculptures -- fancifully suggests that after the flood Noah stayed in his Ark atop Mount Ararat, with little to do but play checkers with a pet snake, until he received an urgent appeal from the Biblical Zoo to help recollect the animals mentioned in the Bible and to preserve endangered species.

The cartoon shows the ark sprouting helicopter blades and flying around the world so that Noah--in the language of each animal--could invite them to take their places at the Biblical Zoo. After completing his mission, Noah decided that being in Jerusalem was much more fun than being bored on Mount Ararat so kept his Ark there permanently.

Although some haredim have criticized the cartoon and script as blasphemous, others have accepted it as a fanciful midrash designed to teach important Torah lessons.